


Good for Something Worse

by Drabbles_Of_Writing



Series: Four Years AU [9]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Amity is traumatized, Eda's been hurt by someone she loved in the Emperor's Coven before, Emperor's Coven, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, Good Siblings Edric & Emira Blight, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mom Eda, Panic Attacks, THIS IS MY LONGEST FIC AND ITS ABOUT AMITY BEING SAD BC OF HER PARENTS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, she's scared of it happening again please forgive her, something similar to that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26339650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drabbles_Of_Writing/pseuds/Drabbles_Of_Writing
Summary: After what the Emperor's Coven did to the occupants of the Owl House, Amity swore she'd never join them.Her mother had other plans.
Relationships: Amity Blight & Amity Blight's Mother
Series: Four Years AU [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1902241
Comments: 24
Kudos: 579





	Good for Something Worse

**Author's Note:**

> I got a tumblr now! Check it out for little facts & memes on my stories I post  
> https://drabbles-of-writing.tumblr.com/

January was a stressful time for Hexside students.

It was when the Emperor’s Coven was offering to let the best witches try and get in. Everyone was on edge and tired from practicing for weeks on end. Students that were sixteen and up could try out, but the older you were, the better chance you had.

Everyone dreaded the thought of the Blight’s getting in. Neither of the trio's parents were in the Coven, but it was inevitable that one of the children would join this year.

Nobody was thrilled at the prospect.

After all, who wanted to be stuck under the magic of _that_ good for nothing family?

“I have news!” Edric shouted as he kicked in Amity’s door, startling her into dropping her _Azura_ book.

 _“Warn_ me next time, Ed!” Amity snapped, sitting up in her bed.

“I’m not sorry,” Edric shrugged, walking in as Emira followed, kicking the door shut behind her.

“What is it now?” Amity grumbled, turning so she was sitting on the edge of her bed. “Mom and dad had a surprise present for you two four days _after_ your birthday?”

“Uh...kind of?” Edric said, sounding unsure as he sat on the floor and leaned against the bed.

Emira sighed, much more solemn than her brother as she sat in the chair at Amity’s desk. The young witch was instantly put off guard by the lack of a mischievous glint in their eyes. They seemed...worried.

“What happened?” Amity asked immediately.

The twins glanced at each other before turning to Amity.

“Were eligible to try out for the Emperor’s Coven.” Emira said, Edric nodding.

“You…” Amity looked wildly between the two. “You have enough magic to _pass?”_

“They changed up the point system this year,” Edric explained. “They have teachers secretly watching your magic so they know if you're purposefully using cheats or going the extra mile. They told mom and dad that our regular magical ability was enough to try out.”

Amity felt a deep pit open in her gut. Both of her siblings were eighteen, meaning they had no real excuse of being ‘too young’ to be in the Emperor’s Coven. They would graduate Hexside this year, and their parents were quickly pushing for the two of them to find a coven to join.

The Emperor’s Coven itself was the logical option, if you were a Blight.

“Do...do you think you’re going to make it?” Amity asked quietly. “What...what are you going to do if you get--”

“Make it?” The twins echoed.

“Mittens, we’re not even gonna _try,”_ Emira said, sounding almost offended Amity thought they’d join.

“Yeah, we’re gonna purposefully flunk it.” Edric agreed. “Did you really think we’d join the Emperor’s Coven after all they’ve done?”

Amity would admit, she was surprised.

Her siblings had always been a tad more defiant of their parents. Secretly and openly. They could get away with it because they all knew their mother favored the twins most, especially Emira.

But _this?_ Failing to join the _Emperor’s Coven?_ Both of them?

The thought was absurd. Their mother would blow both their heads off in fury and humiliation.

“We just wanted to let you know so you don’t worry.” Emira continued. “And, well...

“We wanted to talk about us...moving out.” Edric said, avoiding his little sister's gaze.

“Oh,” Amity said quietly. “Yeah, you...you always said you’d move right out at eighteen.” She said, looking down at the floor.

“We’re planning on moving as soon as we fail to join the Emperor’s Coven,” Emira said. “Since mom and dad don’t have anything else big coming up and we get to avoid mom's wrath.”

“...did you have any ideas?” Amity asked, sounding and feeling small. “About where you were going to move?”

“We’ve got some acquaintances who know of some cheap apartments.” Emira nodded. “Viney offered her place, but her dad already has enough to worry about.” She cringed.

“It’s by the edges of the marketplace, too.” Edric added. “So we can steal--”

Emira gave him a glare.

“I mean _sell_ things easily.” Edric corrected quickly. “And we also wanted to ask, if it wasn’t too much trouble…”

“Could the Owl House be a backup in case everything falls apart?” Emira finished. “It wouldn’t be for long, but if we knew we had a place to go in case of emergencies--”

“Of course!” Amity said, finally looking at them. “The Owl House can be your backup, I’m sure Eda would understand.” She said. “Lilith has already offered the Owl House as _my_ backup from here, so I don’t think adding you two should be that big of trouble.”

“Thanks, Amity.” Emira breathed. “We appreciate it.”

Amity, still not used to her siblings seriously calling her by her name, only nodded numbly.

“We also wanted to offer,” Edric started, glancing at his sister for confirmation. He continued when she nodded. “If...you’d like to come with us?”

Amity stared at her brother, dumbfounded.

“Come with you?”

“You don’t have to decide now, or anytime soon.” Emira clarified. “But we know you hate this place just as much as us, maybe more. We’re legal adults, we could let you live with us.” She said.

“Probably not permanently,” Edric admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Mom and dad would _definitely_ win that battle. But that way, you don’t have to give excuses like you do when you’re visiting the Owl House.”

“Thought you could use it,” He continued, voice a bit softer. “We...we don’t like leaving you here alone for the next two years.”

Amity was speechless. She looked between her siblings as if waiting for them to crack a smile and call it a joke.

They didn’t.

They sat patiently, waiting for her response.

“You,” Amity swallowed, hating how her voice shook. “You mean it?”

“Of course we do,” Emira nodded. “We’re already leaving a mess behind, the least we could do is try to get you away from it, too.”

“But...you,” Amity shook her head. “You shouldn’t have to worry about me at all! This is your chance to leave. Don’t...don’t mess it up because of me,” She said, voice heavily strained with guilt as she tried to force back the tears welling in her eyes.

“Hey, hey,” Edric sat up and turned, laying a hand on Amity’s knee. “We _want_ to help you. We’re your siblings, it’s our job to worry about you.” He said with a small smile.

“Anything that happens to us never was, or will be, your fault.”

And _there_ came the tears.

They rolled down Amity’s cheeks faster than she could realize. She quickly tried to wipe it away, sniffling an apology.

Edric enclosed her in a hug before she could finish.

Emira was hugging her other side mere moments later.

Amity was stiff and still, letting her siblings hold her in a silent reassurance.

She hugged them right back, sobs racking her throat.

The tryouts for the Emperor’s Coven went from the oldest to the youngest grade. Meaning Edric and Emira’s tryouts were to be one of the earliest.

Amity had left to stay overnight at the Owl House, so to avoid the inevitable screaming match her mother would have with anyone that would listen. None of the occupants of the Owl House had minded or asked for a reason, they simply just let her in.

They didn’t comment when she continued to stay for a little while that morning, either.

“Amity?”

The witch jerked out of her spaced-out world, turning abruptly to face Luz beside her, who was gazing at her with worry.

“Is everything okay?” She asked.

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine.” Amity quickly assured the human. “Why do you ask?”

“You just...seem out of it this morning.” Luz said, fiddling with the lightning-glyph she was practicing drawing.

“Oh, sorry,” Amity apologized. “Just, er, a bit tired.”

Luz didn’t seem convinced, but didn’t comment any further. She simply went back to describing how to draw the lightning glyph, and doing her best to not accidentally activate it.

Amity breathed a silent sigh of relief and did her best to pay attention, over-exaggerating her reactions so to avoid being questioned again.

She knew it didn’t work.

It was noon when Amity’s scroll rang.

She jumped off the couch in surprise, startling Luz and King, who was sitting in the humans lap.

“Sorry,” Amity mumbled, withdrawing her scroll.

It was her mother.

Amity froze. She stared at the ringing scroll, hearing nothing but static in her ears as a deep emptiness opened in her gut, weighing her down.

“Who is it?” Luz asked, peering over her shoulder, her voice suddenly grounding Amity again.

“It’s...it’s my mom.” Amity said quietly, never taking her eyes off her scroll.

Luz’s eyes went wide and she looked up at Amity, her face betraying that of fear and worry. Amity didn’t notice, but Lilith and Eda were quick to look in from the kitchen and down the hall.

Amity swallowed and accepted the call, bringing her scroll to her ear.

“Hey, mom.”

_“Amity! Where are you, young lady?”_

“I’m on a walk, I wanted to get fresh air.” Amity lied, almost wincing at it.

 _“Come to the school right now,”_ Her mother demanded. _“That’s an order.”_

“Okay” Amity said on instinct, walking around the couch and fiddling with her sleeve. “Did, did something happen?”

_“Did you hear about what your siblings did?”_

Amity shut her eyes to brace herself before inhaling.

“Yes, I did.”

 _“Figures. They had one job, and they couldn’t even do that!”_ Her mother growled. _“And now they think it’s acceptable to leave us after that monstrosity of a failure?”_

Amity knew her mother was only really talking to herself now. She felt it necessary to vent to anyone who would listen, whether they wanted to or not.

 _“We have a way to fix this error, however.”_ Her mother said. _“So hurry to Hexside_ immediately. _Your father and I are waiting for you. Don’t mess this up.”_

She hung up.

Amity’s blood went cold.

Her mother's vagueness put her on edge, and her choice of words had only worsened it. Being vague meant something big, something _important._

Had her mother found out that Amity was considering living with her siblings?

Did she know Em and Ed purposefully flunked?

Had she contained the twins to their own house?

Was she going to use Amity in a guilt-trip?

_Did she know?_

Amity stared off into nothing, her scroll floating beside her. Her hands were trembling violently, and she appeared to be in a state of shock.

“Amity?” Lilith worried. “Amity, what did she say?”

“She--” Amity paused, her voice strained and quiet. “She just...she wants me to go to Hexside,”

Luz shot to her feet, panic evident.

“Amity, what happened?”

“I...I need to go. Now.” Amity said, shaking her head as she grabbed her scroll and shoved it in her pocket. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I need to go.”

“Amity, wait!” Luz hurried after her, but the witch was already at the door and pulling it open.

“Amity, please, what happened?” Lilith called from inside, appearing in the living room as King and Eda looked on worriedly.

“I can’t, I gotta go.” Amity repeated, shaking her head. “I...I’ll be back. I promise. But I can’t stay.” She said, rushing out of the door and thankful that Hooty was stretched out elsewhere in the house.

“Amity--”

The witch slammed the door shut, quickly beginning to back up as her breathing increased, turning and racing into the forest.

She couldn’t be late. She _couldn’t._

Despite the fear coursing through her, she ran for Hexside as fast as she could. For fear of her siblings or what her mother had planned, she didn’t know.

Amity saw her family near instantly. They were waiting by the training area for tryouts. There were still people crowded about, anxious to see the fights for the Emperor Covens newest members.

“I’m here!” Amity breathed, skidding to a stop. “What--what’s going on?”

“About time you showed up,” Her mother huffed. “Where were you walking? At the Knee?”

“N-no, I was just--”

“Never mind that,” Her mother cut her off. “How's your magic?”  
“My, my magic?” Amity repeated. “It’s fine, why?”

“Good enough,” Her mother muttered, turning away to face the arena, where a kid she didn’t recognize was battling a guard.

“What’s going on?” Amity repeated, looking between her father and siblings. “What’s happening?”

Her father barely spared her a glance. Her siblings, meanwhile, were both giving her pitifully fearful looks.

“Amity,” Emira started. “We tried to tell her not to. But mom was insistent. She--”

“She was _pissed_ we didn’t make it,” Edric talked over his sister. “She demanded it be fixed and talked to the guard and--”

“I don’t understand,” Amity shook her head, confused as ever. “What do you need _me_ for?”

Her mother turned to her then, looking down her nose at her daughter. Amity felt like a mouse trapped beneath the claws of a cat, frozen with terror and forced to realize her inevitable fate.

“You’re trying out for the Emperor’s Coven.”

Amity stared at her mother, rooted to the spot. She slowly shook her head in disbelief.

“But--but the younger tryouts aren’t for another week!” She exclaimed. “And--and I’m fifteen! I won’t be sixteen until the tryouts are over.” She insisted, as if that would make a difference.

“I managed to get a good word in,” Her mother said simply. “And your father arranged for it to be done last today, so we can get this over with as soon as possible.”

Her father only nodded, silent as ever.

“You...you can’t,” Amity whispered, taking a small step back.

“Of course I can,” Her mother snorted. “I’m a Blight, aren’t I?”

She stepped closer to her daughter, scaring her into staying still as she stood over her, using her hand to lift Amity’s chin.

 _“You_ are going to do what your siblings could not.” Her mother said, sharply giving her eldest children a sideways glare that they shrunk away from.

“Listen to me, Amity.” She said sternly, meeting her daughter's wide eyes. “You are going to go into that arena, and you are going to _win.”_ She said, gripping Amity’s chin tightly and making her wince.

“I will not be disgraced by having _three_ failures today.” She growled. “This is your chance of redemption to this family, to the Blight name. Do you understand me, Amity?”

“Y-yes,” Amity stuttered, too scared to say anything else.

“Good,” Her mother said, releasing her daughter at last. “Because the Blight family’s honor is relying on _you,_ as much as I hate to think of that.” She sneered.

“Dear,” Her father said, finally drawing the woman's attention away from the girl. “They’re going to call our names soon.”

“Finally,” Her mother muttered. “You two,” She snapped her fingers, drawing the twins attention. “You will sit and watch. Let this be a lesson to do _better.”_ She curled a lip.

“Yes, mother.” Emira and Edric chorused, hurrying to their mothers side and standing there, casting their sister pleading looks.

 _‘Don’t do it.’_ They’re eyes begged.

Amity was still frozen in spot, thoughts whirling through her head. This was all going by too fast, too quick. She had no time to think, no time to _plan._

She heard her name being called by one of the guards. She was sharply nudged by her father and stumbled forward, making her way to the training arena.

It was afternoon now. With it being January, the sun would set soon.

She wouldn’t be sixteen for another two weeks. Not until February.

If this was two years ago, she’d be thrilled at the idea of being the youngest member of the Emperor’s Coven.

Now, it petrified her.

_‘You need to lose.’_

_‘Mother will be furious.’_

_‘You can’t join the coven.’_

_‘You’d tarnish the family name.’_

_‘You can’t join the Emperor.’_

_‘You good for nothing,’_

_‘Good for something,’_

_‘Useless, useless Blight.’_

Amity dodged a tangle of thorns and lit her hand ablaze, cutting through it like it was nothing before rolling and summoning an abomination to become her shield from an onslaught of ice-like daggers.

_‘I can’t win.’_

The Emperor's Coven was cruel and unjust. They had betrayed Lilith. They had tried to petrify Eda. They had taken Luz away from her _home._

They were the cause of the Owl families misery. They were nothing but tyrants.

She commanded an abomination to hit the guard just a bit too slowly, giving the guard time to roll out of the way.

Her gaze caught her mothers.

Her arms were crossed, she was glaring. She already looked disappointed. No, she looked _disgraced._

Amity was a Blight, nothing would change that. That had been decided from day one.

It didn’t matter if she spent some days with Ed and Em. It didn’t matter if she fled to the Owl House. It didn’t matter that Lilith trained her. It didn’t matter who her friends were. It didn’t matter who she loved…

Her parents were one of the most powerful people in the Isles.

They’d find a way. So long they had a way in, they’d find it. Like rats to garbage.

But that didn’t mean they had to take _everything_ from her.

She grit her teeth and made up her mind, facing the guard again and preparing a massive abomination, a look of resigned determination in her gaze.

_‘I can’t lose.’_

Time almost seemed to flash by in mere seconds. The win, the congratulations, the boasting, the proud, so _proud,_ looks from her parents.

The fearful ones from her siblings.

She blinked, and suddenly she was in the Blight Manor. She had a white cloak around her, gray sleeves. A gray beaked mask in her hands.

She was in.

And she’d never felt more awful.

It was a party at the manor. When did that happen?

There were adults talking over her. Barely paying her any mind. Some would try, and she’d only stare back at them, barely giving a response.

A hand was placed on her shoulder and she jumped, whirling around.

It was her father.

He looked down at her, his face as blank and emotionless as ever. She’d expect nothing less of him.

If you asked her to choose which parent she liked more, she’d say it was her father.

That was, if she liked him at all.

“Good job, Amity.” Her father said, his face never changing. “You’ve done something great for your mother's family.”

_Your mother’s family._

Even _he_ knew who this was really about.

“Th-thank you,” Amity mumbled, her voice hoarse.

Her father only nodded curtly, removing his hand from her shoulder.

“Your siblings wished to congratulate you,” He said, sounding almost awkward. “They are waiting by the door.” He said, angling his head towards the large door that led out of the massive living room.

Well, it could almost be called a ballroom. Her mother liked to call it that. But Amity preferred the term living room. It made the place feel less...grand.

Amity turned to look as well, seeing both of her siblings hovering anxiously around the door, kicking their feet at the floor and sharing quick words with each other.

When Amity turned to thank her father again, he was already gone. Having left to mingle quietly with the other useless rich members of society.

Amity quickly turned and hurried towards the doors, weaving through the crowd. Her boots clicked on the floor and cape billowed out behind her. 

A part of her liked the aura of authority it gave her.

Another part of her wanted to be sick at the thought.

Amity stood before her siblings, who didn’t notice her for the first few seconds. When they did, they hurried to stand, brows creased with worry.

They had seen the bored, detached look their sister had been wearing ever since the tryouts ended.

“Mind if we...talk?” Emira said, pointing a thumb towards the door behind them.

“Of course,” Amity said, gliding by her siblings and pushing the large doors open a crack.

Edric and Emira shared a nervous look before following her, slipping out the doors before they were quietly shut behind them.

“Amity, what--”

“I didn’t have a choice,” Amity said, turning sharply to look up at her siblings.

It was like her entire personality had shifted the moment those doors had closed and the only eyes on her were the twins.

Her expression betrayed that of terror, that of helplessness. The cloak looked too long on her now, mask too hollow, gloves too big.

“Oh, Amity,” Edric breathed. “Ami, I’m so sorry…”

“I couldn’t disappoint mother,” Amity said quietly, looking down at the mask in her hands and running her fingers over it. “I...I didn’t know what she’d do…”

Emira slung an arm around her shoulder, as did Edric. She looked up at them, unsure of what to do. She hadn’t even fully processed what this meant for her now.

“Hey, we’ll figure it out.” Emira assured her. “I mean, you _are_ still fifteen. For now, at least. I doubt they’ll make you deal with anything big for a while.” She tried.

“Yeah! And dealing with anyone at the Owl House has to be a job for like, the best of the best.” Edrc added.

Amity jerked up, dropping the mask.

 _“Luz!”_ She cried, breaking away from her siblings and looking around frantically, the darkness of the rest of the manor momentarily confusing her.

“Oh no, no, no, they must’ve heard about what happened!” She exclaimed, ears lowered. “They-they’re going to think I betrayed them! They’re going to think I’m gonna sell them out! They must’ve moved the house already!”

“Hey, I’m sure you can explain this to them.” Edric insisted, trying to keep a sense of calm. “Luz is bound to understand.”

“If I can’t find the house, I’ll _never_ find anyone that lives in it!” Amity said, throwing open the hallway doors and looking frantically for the front door. “I need to go, _now.”_

“But the party--”

“Forget the party!” Amity snapped, startling her sister. “Tell mom I went to bed early or something! I need to find them and explain what’s going on!”

Emira and Edric glanced at each other, nodding in agreement.

“You got it,” Edric nodded. 

“I'll vouch for you if anything goes wrong at the Owl House.” Emira added.

Amity breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you,” She said, vanishing out the hallway doors in a flash, leaving her mask in the open, voidless black floor.

Amity ran through the woods, her cloak catching on every little root and stray branch. She was surprised that the material hadn’t broken through all the torment it received. She figured ripped cloaks were a common occurrence.

 _‘Please still be there. Please still be there. Please still be there.’_ She begged in her head, twisted around the trees, adrenaline edging her on.

She burst from the subery, praying beyond all hope that the Owl House was right where it had last hidden. Maybe Luz hadn’t heard the news, maybe they hadn’t moved yet, maybe they were waiting for an explanation, maybe--

Empty.

The clearing was vast, broken, and utterly, completely, _empty_.

There were engraves in the ground where the house used to be. There were broken branches and trees where the house had made itself situated.

There was so much debris she couldn’t tell where the house had entered and where it had left.

It was gone.

“No,” She whispered, feeling pricks in her eyes as she rushed forward, standing in the middle of the clearing as she frantically looked around. “No, no, no. Please, no.”

The house had left recently, that much was evident. Gus and Willow must have been called. Though they no longer needed a Moonlight Conjuring to move the house every month, it still needed at least three witches to move it. And unfortunately, Eda and Lilith couldn’t strain their magic to help move it.

“Luz!” Amity called into the endless trees. “Lilith? Eda? King?” She called. “Where are you?” Her voice cracked, and a tear rolled down her cheek as her breathing intensified.

Something thumped, loud and clearly meant to be noticeable. Amity whirled around, afraid that she had been followed.

A figure stood at the edge of the clearing, a golden and gray eye flashing in the darkness. Their head framed by a wild nest of hair.

“Eda!” Amity cried, running towards the witch. “Eda, I thought you guys had--”

The witch took a sharp step back, turning her body so that her hand holding her faintly glowing staff was visible. She slammed her staff back down on the ground, creating another thumping noise and causing Amity to skid to a stop a few feet in front of the witch.

She’d lived with her father long enough to know what a silent threat looked like.

“So,” Eda said, her gaze filled with distrust. “You came back.”

“Eda, please, let me explain.” Amity begged. “It’s not what you think.”

“It isn’t?” Eda raised a brow. 

“You come to my house, acting strange and skittish. You get a call from your mother and leave without any explanation. Then, I have to hear from a _crystal ball_ that you not only went to Emperor’s Coven _tryouts,_ but _got in?”_

“And hours later, you come _running_ back to us, still wearing _that?”_ She hissed, pointing towards the guard getup Amity was wearing.

“And you want to tell me that this isn’t what I think?” Eda demanded.

Eda took a step forward and Amity frantically scrambled back. The witch seemed surprised at the much stronger response, ears flicking back.

Eda was in the light of the rising moon now, and Amity could make out her features much more vividly.

Anger was there, that was evident.

But she really only looked...hurt. Betrayed.

Amity couldn’t blame her. But that didn’t change the twist her chest gave.

“I can explain everything, I promise.” Amity persisted. “Let me at least _try,_ please?”

“...course, kid.” Eda sighed, vanishing her staff with the flick of her wrist. “I take it you want to say it once with the others instead of repeating it?”

"If, if you’ll allow me to.” Amity nodded, looking down.

Eda frowned, glancing away from Amity’s sorrowful face.

“Just answer this for me, kid.” Eda said, and Amity looked back up.

“What, exactly, do you plan on doing now?” She questioned.

Amity was taken aback by the response. She mulled over her words for a moment, but she knew the response. She’d decided it all the way back on the training ground.

“I help you,” She said, raising high and meeting the witch’s gaze. “I spy on the Emperor’s Coven, and I make sure no one gets hurt ever again.”

Eda looked surprised, staring at Amity, who met her with a defiant expression.

“Kid, do you have _any_ idea how dangerous that is?” Eda shook her head.

“...yeah, I think so.” Amity nodded slightly. “But I don’t care.” She placed a hand on her chest.

“The Emperor’s Coven has already hurt everyone I care about, one way or another. I don’t care about the status, I don’t care about the power, hell, I could care _less_ about what that Emperor says!” She growled.

“You, and everyone else who’s come in that ridiculous house, are all I care about.” She said sincerely, her ears laying back. “I...I hope that’s enough for you…” She added quieter.

Eda looked over the witch for a moment. Her shoulders finally relaxed. She raised her hand to place it on the witches shoulder before pausing.

Instead, she offered her hand to the girl.

“Amity,” Eda chuckled, offering the tiniest of smiles. “You’re the strangest rich kid I’ve ever met.”

Amity let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She forced back the relieved tears at her eyes and gently grabbed the witch’s hand, cracking a smile as she looked up to the criminal she’d grown to care for.

“Thank you, Eda.”

“I told you!”

Amity jerked as Eda turned much more slowly, looking tired.

Luz fumbled out of the treeline, flopping over on her face before jumping up to her feet again.

“See? I said Amity must’ve had a good reason, and she did!” Luz said, hurrying over.

“Were you there the whole time?” Amity gasped, releasing Eda’s hand.

Luz hugged Amity tightly, grinning and chatting away as she told Eda how she was right all along, and that they worried for nothing. Amity barely paid attention, too focused on what the Owlet had said.

Luz _trusted_ her.

She had believed that Amity _really_ had a reasoning for joining the Emperor’s Coven. In Amity’s eyes, she had no reason to.

And yet, she did.

A small voice in Amity’s head said that Luz shouldn’t have. Amity had already known she would have to win before she had made her spying plan.

Amity elected to ignore it.

“Alright, alright, I get it. You can’t blame me for being cautious.” Eda huffed, ruffing Luz’s hair as she pulled away from Amity.

“Oh! Right, Lilith probably wants to talk to you.” Luz told a recovering Amity. “Since, you know, she used to be in the Emperor’s Coven.”

“Is Lilith here, too?” Amity asked, peering behind the human.

“She’s currently at the house that Luz _ditched.”_ Eda said the last part sharply. “She and the others _also_ wanted to come, but I didn’t exactly want to leave Hooty all by himself.”

“Yeah, that was probably best.” Amity agreed with a nod. “Also, you would’ve been _way_ less stealthy.”

“I heard that!”

 _“Gus!”_ Eda snapped, turning to the trees. “I told you to _stay back!”_

“You said that to Luz, too!” Gus’ voice drifted from the treeline, his head popping up from behind a bush. “But did she get a scolding? No!”

“It’s because Eda picks favorites,” Willow said, removing the vines she had disguised to be part of a tree to hide her.

“First of all, no I do _not.”_ Eda said stubbornly. “Second of all, get _back_ to the _house!”_

“Lilith said we could come!” Willow complained.

“You know what else Lilith said? That water is wet! Which it clearly is not!” Eda retorted.

 _“Yes,_ it _is!”_ Gus insisted, easily getting riled up again.

“Edalyn, please.” Lilith’s voice muttered from somewhere in the forest.

_“Did everyone come?”_

“Hooty didn’t--ow,” King groaned, falling off of his branch in the tree and hitting another one head-first.

Amity watched the exchange, a brow raised as a smile came to her face. Luz was already trying to smother a laugh, one arm leaning on Amity’s shoulder.

The witch didn’t bother to hold back hers. She let out a laugh, shaking her head at the absurdity of her situation. It barely distracted from what was going on, if anything, it encouraged it.

This weird family surely was bad for something, wasn’t it?

**Author's Note:**

> The same old story  
> The same old song  
> “Don't act up, don't act out  
> Be strong”  
> I keep my head down  
> I keep my chin up  
> But it ends up all the same


End file.
